RAWALPINDI: The district education department has cancelled the registration of 10 private schools for not announcing summer vacation according to directives issued by the Punjab government.

The provincial government had announced summer vacation for educational institutions across the province – in the private and public sectors – from May 24 to August 15, due to the high temperatures.

All the government schools closed immediately, but private schools remained open until the beginning of Ramazan.

In fact, some of the private schools violating the government’s directives were operating in front of the commissioner, district coordination and city police offices.

Executive District Officer (Education) Qazi Zahoorul Haq told Dawn that the department had cancelled the registration of 10 private schools for violating the provincial government’s clear directives regarding summer vacation.

“District Coordination Officer (DCO) Talar Mehmood Gondal fixed June 13 for the public hearing, and the managements of the schools were invited to present their point of view on delaying summer vacation,” he said.

He said the education department would only recommend the cancellation of private schools’ registration, but the final decision would be announced after the public hearing was conducted by the chairman of the district authority for education.

However, the registration process for private schools in the district is slow, and so far only 42 private schools have been registered by the district authority.

In September, the Punjab government issued the Punjab Private Educational Institutions (Promotion and Regulation Amendment) Ordinance 2015 to regulate the affairs of private schools in the province.

The ordinance was issued after public resentment over a fee hike that led to protests in various cities. The prime minister then intervened and directed the authorities to regulate private schools.

In Rawalpindi, the DCO is the chairman of the regulatory body formed to this end.

The executive district officer (education) is the secretary, while the town municipal administration officer, private school representatives and parents’ representatives are members of the authority.

In September, then Mianwali DCO Talat Mehmood Gondal was a member of the body as the parents’ representatives.

Since he was transferred to Rawalpindi as DCO, the post for the parents’ representatives is still vacant.

Published in Dawn, June 10th, 2016